Article 3

For the purposes of this Directive, the following definitions apply: ‘emission’ means the release of a substance from a point or diffuse source into the atmosphere; ‘anthropogenic emissions’ means atmospheric emissions of pollutants associated with human activities; ‘ozone precursors’ means nitrogen oxides, non-methane volatile organic compounds, methane, and carbon monoxide; ‘air quality objectives’ means the limit values, target values and exposure concentration obligations for air quality set out in Directive 2008/50/EC and Directive 2004/107/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council Directive 2004/107/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 15 December 2004 relating to arsenic, cadmium, mercury, nickel and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in ambient air (OJ L 23, 26.1.2005, p. 3). ; ‘sulphur dioxide’ or ‘SO_(2)’ means all sulphur compounds expressed as sulphur dioxide, including sulphur trioxide (SO_(3)), sulphuric acid (H_(2)SO_(4)), and reduced sulphur compounds such as hydrogen sulphide (H_(2)S), mercaptans and dimethyl sulphides; ‘nitrogen oxides’ or ‘NO_(x)’ means nitric oxide and nitrogen dioxide, expressed as nitrogen dioxide; ‘non-methane volatile organic compounds’ or ‘NMVOC’ means all organic compounds other than methane, that are capable of producing photochemical oxidants by reaction with nitrogen oxides in the presence of sunlight; ‘fine particulate matter’ or ‘PM_(2,5)’ means particles with an aerodynamic diameter equal to or less than 2,5 micrometres (μm); ‘black carbon’ or ‘BC’ means carbonaceous particulate matter that absorbs light; ‘national emission reduction commitment’ means the Member States' obligation in the reduction of emissions of a substance; it specifies the emission reduction that as a minimum has to be delivered in the target calendar year, as a percentage of the total of emissions released during the base year (2005); ‘landing and take-off cycle’ means the cycle that includes taxi in and out, take-off, climb out, approach, landing and all other aircraft activities that take place below the altitude of 3000 feet; ‘international maritime traffic’ means journeys at sea and in coastal waters by water-borne vessels of all flags, except fishing vessels, that depart from the territory of one country and arrive in the territory of another country; ‘pollution control zone’ means a sea area not exceeding 200 nautical miles from the baselines from which the breadth of the territorial sea is measured, established by a Member State for the prevention, reduction and control of pollution from vessels in accordance with applicable international rules and standards; ‘Union source-based air pollution control legislation’ means Union legislation which aims at reducing the emissions of air pollutants covered by this Directive by undertaking mitigation measures at the source.

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Source: EUR-Lex (Cellar) · retrieved 2026-10-29 · Text as adopted (Official Journal); later amendments are not incorporated in this text.